ABSTRACT
The UK Technology Strategy Board's Building Performance Evaluation programme provided the funds to assess whether the buildings aims had been achieved. The main design issues were to achieve the aims of low carbon in construction and in operation. In addition, aims were to maximise retail space and minimise cost. A consequence of an aging demographic and large floor areas meant that many mentioned a lack of customer seating in the sales areas of both stores. In addition to the physical measurements of meter readings and of temperatures, the team carried out questionnaire surveys of community groups, frontline retail staff, back of house retail staff and of customers. The Building Use Survey questionnaire respondents were all staff, focus groups also included customers and community. Overall, the Cheshire Oaks store should be heralded as a great success, both in terms of its performance and its user satisfaction, and be marked out as an exemplar retail building.
